End-gate.



A. A. MERRILL.

END GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1911.

1 551v Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

1 HE NORRIS PETERS 60., Puoro-urnou WASHING TON. D. c.

END-GATE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, rain.

Application filed May 31, 1911. Serial No. 630,450.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS A. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux Rapids, in the county of Buena Vista and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful End-Gate, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an endgate composed of few and simple parts which is inexpensive in construction and of great strength, which may be quickly and easily removed from a wagon bed, and which may be quickly and readily placed in position without the use of tools or rods.

A further object of my invention is to provide such an endgate without detachable parts which are likely to be lost or mislaid.

A further object of my invention is to provide an endgate which cannot be unlatched by pressure thereon from the contents of the wagon, but which may be easily unlatched by the user when it is desired to remove the endgate.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are -attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated-in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a rear elevation of an endgate embodying my invention in position for use. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the sidesof an ordinary wagon bed or boX, beneath which is the bottom 11 of the bed. Secured to the sides 10 at the rear end of the wagon boX on their inner sides are uprights 12, 13, 14 and 15 arranged in pairs on each side of the bed, the uprights of each pair being slightly spaced apart to form grooves 16 for the reception of the endgate.

My endgate is composed of two members 17 and 18. The members 17 and 18 are hinged together at the ends by means of the hinges 19, which are on the inner side of said members when my endgate is installed, and the combined lengths of said members is such that their other ends may be slidingly received in the groove 16. The hinges 19 are arranged so that the endgate opens rearwardly. Secured to the member 18 by the bolts 20 is a member 21 which overlaps the member 17 for a considerable space. The portlon of the member 21 which overlaps the member 17 is preferably somewhat tapered as shown in Fig. 1. On the outer side of the end of the" member 21 which overlaps the member 17 is a metal plate 22 firmly secured to the member 21, and constructed with an opening 23 near one end which registers w1th an opening near the free end of the member 21, designed to receive the latch member 31, hereinafter described. Formed on the plate 22 integral therewith are loops 24: and 25, in which is slidingly received a bolt 26, one end of which normally rests over the opening 23 in the plate 22. The end of the bolt 26 near the said opening is enlarged to form a shoulder 27. Mounted on the bolt 26, between the shoulder 27 and the bearing 25 is a coil spring 28, which normally holds one end of the bolt 26 over the opening 23 in the plate 22. Pivotally secured to the other end of the bolt 26 is a ring or handle 29, which rests against the loop 25 when the end of the bolt 26 is received in the latch device 31. Formed on the loop 25 adjacent to the handle 29 is a lug 29 which serves as a fulcrum against which the handle 29 may be pressed to draw the bolt 26 away from the latch device 31. Countersunk in the member 17 and firmly secured thereto in that portion which is overlapped by the member 21 is a metal plate 30. Extending outwardly therefrom in a position to be received in the opening 23 of the plate 22 is a metal latch member 31 constructed with an opening designed to receive the end of the bolt 26. The material at the outer edge of the opening is beveled as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the bolt 26 which is received in the latch member 31 is slightly beveled on its side away from the member 21, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that is to say on its outer side so that the endgate cannot be unlatched by pressure from a load, while making it easier to withdraw the bolt from the latch device by a direct pull on the handle 29. preferably secure braces 32 on the outer sides of the members 17 and 18 near their ends.

In practical use when my gate is installed, it is removed by grasping the handle 29 and withdrawing the bolt 26. In this connection it is to be understood that there is frequently a heavy rearward pressure upon the endgate caused by the load carried in the 7 wagon, and ifit were not, forthe beveled rear face of the bolt head, and thebeveled portion of the latch member 31', it would be very difficult to Withdraw the bolt. The member 21 may then be moved rearwardly and the members 17 and 18 will follow it. The said members tend to fold together on 'the hinges l9 and their ends are thus withdrawn from the grooves 16. The endgate may be replaced in position by placing the ends in the grooves 16 and bringing the member 21 into its position adjacent to the member 17. The bolt 26 may be made to enter the opening therefor in the latch member 31, by first withdrawing it against the spring, and then closing the end gate andpermitting the spring to force the bolt to position. The bolt head may be beveled on its under side as shown in Fig. 3, in which case the latch device catches automatically.

VVhen'the ordinary endgate which is removed from the wagon bed by sliding the endgateupwardly in the ordinary grooves in which it is received is used, it is very diflicult to remove the endgate when the Wagon bed is loaded if the contents of the wagon bed rest against the endgate for the reason that the pressure of these contents causes the endgate to bind against the sides of the grooves. This difficulty is wholly obviated by. the "use of my improved endgate which is removed from the wagon bed by. drawing the member 21 rearwardly. lVhen the rear surface of the head of the bolt 26 'is made flat, the pressure of the load causes said bolt to bind against the latch device 31 and makes it diiiicult to withdraw the bolt from said latch device. By slightly beveling'the outer surface of the latch device 81 using the handle as head of said bolt and the portion of the which is engaged by said head, the bolt 26 may be easily withdrawn by a direct pull on the handle 29, or by lug 29. In an endgate of the kind described herein it is desirable to have few and simple parts which have great strength. It is also desirable to have simple means which are easily operated for placing the endgate in position ready for use. These objects are all attained by use of my endgate and its construction reduces the cost of manufacture to a minimum.

I claim as my invention:

An end gate comprising first and second end gate members hinged to each other to fold rearwardly a third member secured to the first end gate member and overlapping the second end gate member, a keeper on said second end gate member, a plate on said third end gate member, having bearing loops, a bolt slidingly but non-rotatably mounted in said loops designed to be received in said keeper when the end gate is in position for use, the end of said bolt which coacts with said latch device being beveled at its outer and inner edges, a fulcrum member secured to one of said loops and inclined away connected to one end of said bolt with a universal connection, said handle being de signed to engage said fulcrum member when moved in a horizontal plane for withdrawing said bolt from the keeper.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 2, 1911.

AUGUSTUS A. MERRILL.

WVitnesses:

M. WALLACE, M. PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O.

a lever fulcrumed on the therefrom, and a handle 

